Sunday, March 3, 2013

Going Home Today


Finding gratitude for this life You've given me
Living daily in Your presence
Living only to see
Your face
Your will
Your Love
And Your grace
Mercy for the things I don't deserve
Mercy for the things I do
Mercy for the things I don't deserve
Mercy found in You


I'm going home this morning....
Home?
Gadsden Vineyard Church.
David Finlayson gave me an "invite" to come and be a part of his worship team.
How many hours have I spent in that building worshipping and singing and waiting on God?
More than I can count.
The music is part of my DNA.
I can't deny or get around that fact.
I have been blessed beyond measure that God would connect me with some pretty incredible people.
Brook...
Debbie....
LeNola....
Jim....
David....
And countless others who I have joined in this pursuit of learning how to worship.
I have said it before, and I'll repeat it right here in this posting this morning.
I hear God clearer and louder when I am worshipping than at any other time.
I don't understand the "why" but I am grateful that it takes place.
Maybe it is because I am totally focused on the music and the words and the event of being in a corporate gathering where everyone is worshipping.

I have tried teaching on worship and the importance of it in our lives on several occasions. Seems as though I can never quiet say what I'm feeling or thinking.
To be in a setting where we can get totally lost in the presence of God.
To be in a setting where we quit thinking about who is next to us and "What will they think if I truly get free to worship." 
That is the part of Gadsden Vineyard that I love.
They taught me and Vicki how to worship. Then they provided a safe place for us to do what we heard God telling us to do.
Raise our hands....
Lay down on the floor on our face....
Bow down on our knees.
Clap our hands and shout at the top of our lungs....."JESUS!!!!"
It didn't matter as long as we were trying to do what we heard God say do.

So this morning I will take my amp and my guitar...
I will load up and make my way to downtown Gadsden to the church.
I will once again walk through that door into the big room.
I will see faces I haven't seen in a while....
There will be smiles and hugs all around.
Back slapping and laughter...
Then we will join in prayer asking for God's mercy and presence to be in each of us and in that room.
The amps will come on...
Sound check will be completed...
We will worship.
It doesn't get any better than this.

God on you...
mb

1 comment:

David Finlayson said...

It's been so long Michael. I've been wanting to worship with you for a long time.

You struck a chord with me. There is no way that I can express/explain these moments. It wasn't until I returned to Gadsden and was around it, among in, in it until I truly experienced the surrender and freedom of worship. Maybe it was House of Blue. I felt it took me a while, but eventually I found myself there. It took a while. I followed until I could lead.

It means a lot to lead with my old friends, ones like you that helped teach me by humble example. God bless yo Mike. I love you.

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